Across the Parallel
by BelleBeauty2694
Summary: The Doctor has traveled into a parallel universe. Again. Now he must find a way back to his universe, while dealing with the fact the Rose has run into his life again, literally. Rated T just to be safe.


**Chapter 1: Nightmare**

"Run all you want Rosie! No matter where you hide I'll find you!" I could hear Mickey's crazed voice yelling as I ran through the woods. The deep gash in my leg was still gushing blood, even though it was hours old. I pushed the burning feeling of the gash to the back of my mind, as I realized the sad truth. I was going to die. I could feel my body tiring, my lungs painfully contracting from the cold autumn air. Mickey, my once sweet, loving Mickey, was still hot on my trail. Out to spill my blood on his cold metal dagger.

I needed to find a place to hide and rest a while. Otherwise I wouldn't last till morning. I dared to look back and saw to my relief he wasn't there. I quickly ducked behind a tree and listened for his taunts, his shouts, or worse, his footsteps snapping twigs on the forest floor. The chill night air was silent, not a creature was stirring. Suddenly a strange grinding noise, it didn't sound like anything I had ever heard of before, and it was coming from the other side of the tree.

I dared to look on around the tree and where I was sure was nothing but grass a few seconds ago, stood a dark blue police box. It's light cutting through the darkness like a knife. I didn't bother wondering where it came from or why it was there, because at that moment I saw Mickey, his knife gleaming in the box's light and, from what I could make out in the dark, his smile was cruel and twisted.

I raced to the police box, knowing that either way I was dead, inside the box I could at least post-pone the inevitable. As I reached the police box, the doors swung open to reveal a handsome man in a brown tweed suit and coat. His chocolate eyes locked on mine and widened form what must have been shock. "What?" he exclaimed in a high pitched tone.

Questions began swirling in my head, like why the hell was he doing in a police box in the middle of a forest. But my words died on my tongue when I heard Mickey yelling from behind me, "Rosie! Come here sweet heart."

I looked back and saw he was only a few feet away, and then I looked back at the confused man in the blue box. So without another moment's hesitation I pushed both myself and the man inside the blue box and shut the door behind us, not bothering to look behind me at the man. That poor man, I probably just sentenced him to death. "I'm so sorry I dragged you into this sir."

"Well. It's quiet alright. I usually drag myself into these sorts of things anyway." I could hear a sort of dark humor in his voice. Like getting into doomed situations was an everyday thing for him. "But that's beside the point. Rose what's happening? Why is Mickey here and where's the Meta-Crisis Doctor?" the man asked as he put a hand on my shoulder. Adrenalin was still coursing through my veins as I spun around and slapped the man's hand away from me. A flash of hurt passed over his face, but was gone as fast as in came. Replaced with one that was hard as stone.

"Listen sir, I'm sorry I got you into this mess, but I don't know who you are!" I yelled to him as I turned my eyes back to the door. I could hear Mickey's footsteps as he got closer to the box. I held in my breath as he stood motionless outside the door. But then, oddly, he started walking away. I listened for a few moments as I heard his footsteps getting farther and farther away. I felt my legs start to shake as the adrenalin was starting to wear off.

"Perception filters are marvelous aren't they? One minute we're here, the next we're gone and they forget what they were looking at in the first place. Glad Donna told me how to fix that wire, who knew duck-tape, of all things in the universe, could be so useful and help fix a TARDIS!" said the man from behind me, in a unusually cheery tone. As I turned around to ask him what the hell he was talking about, I finally got a good look at the inside of what I thought was a small police box. I was standing at the threshold of a control room, not any control room, but an alien control room that one would see in some kind of sci-fi show. The strange man was standing next to, what seemed to be, the controls. His face was pulled down into a confused frown. "Rose Tyler, what is going on?"

That's when I snapped. Usually in tuff situations, I kept a cool head; but hours of running and climbing, finally caught up with me. "I DON'T KNOW ALRIGHT! Things might not have been the best between me and my husband, but it shouldn't have led to this! For another thing, who the hell are you?" I took a shaky step closer to the strange man, "You and your box. Why the hell is it bigger on the inside!? For another matter how do you know who I am, when I have no clue bloody who, or what, you are!?" I felt my knees finally buckle under me as I fell onto the floor. Tears that I had been holding back, burst through like waves.

Sobs wracked my body as I felt warm arms wrap around me, and a hand gently caressed my tangled dirty hair. "Shush now, its okay. You're going to be okay I promise." I felt myself instinctively wrap my arms around him, holding onto him like a life-line. "My name is 'The Doctor. I seemed to have traveled into your universe from a parallel world, where we're the best of friends. In fact we have traveled all across the space and time together. We've seen the most beautiful planets, and have saved countless lives."

I could feel myself falling asleep in his arms, lulled by the sound of his voice. I was so tired from all the running and fear. Compared to all that, his arms, this strange man's arms, felt safe and warm. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought we had known each other for years instead of moments. "It sounds too good to be true Doctor." I could hear myself say, my voice sounding thick with sleep.

"Oh but it is Rose. It's that and so much more." I could hear the pure joy held within his words. "Come on, I'll take you to your room." I tried to walk myself, but after everything my legs wouldn't support my weight. Without even having to even voice my problem, the Doctor scooped me up bridle style with a sort of practiced ease. He then proceeded down a long hallway that I had not seen while in the control room.

I buried my face into his now tear stained chest. "Sorry bout ruining your jacket."

I could hear the deep rumble of his laugh. "Don't worry about it. Ruined jacket's in worse ways than this."

We walked in silence for a while. The sound his odd heart beat strangely soothing to listen too. "Hey Doctor?" I asked half asleep in his arms.

"Yes Rose?"

"Please take me away." I knew I shouldn't have asked. I'm a married woman, well for now anyway. Plus I hardly knew this man, for all I know he could be more dangerous then Mickey.

He was silent for a while, his grip on me tightening ever so slightly. "It would be my honor Rose Tyler. I'll take you past the stars and through the universe if that is what you wish. "As he said those words, my vision began turning black. But just before I was completely gone, I felt his soft lips press against my forehead. I think he thought I was already asleep, because in a soft, gentle, almost loving whisper he said, "I'll always protect you my precious Rose. Even if it's the last thing I do, I won't lose you again."

When I awoke I still felt exhausted. Thankfully I was too exhausted to dream, otherwise who knows what scenes I would have been plagued with. Memories of the day before crept into my mind unwelcomed. I pulled the soft, warm comforter over my head in a vain attempt to fall back asleep and block the hellish memories, but sleep wouldn't come. After an hour of tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable sleeping position, I realized that I was awake for good. Every muscle in my body ached. No matter how I laid, the pain wouldn't subside.

So with some difficulty, I managed to sit up and look around the room. It was plain, but had a very comfortable feeling. Like a home away from home. The walls were a pale pink, almost white. They looked lonely, bare of even a single poster or photo to show that someone lived there. The furniture (a wardrobe, side table, desk, and canopied bed) seemed to be made out of some white wood. The white clashed nicely with the bright pink carpeting, canapé top and pale pink covers.

While scanning over everything, I spotted a folded note on the side table next to a yellow and white lap. With some more difficult maneuvering, I finally got it, nearly falling out of the bed in the process.

In elegant black script it read, 'Feel free to use the bathroom and take any clothes you would like from the wardrobe. When you're ready, meet me in the control room. It'll be down the hall to your right. -The Doctor'

I looked around and saw the door which I hoped led to the bathroom. I slide out of bed, trying not to cry out in pain, and hobbled over to the bathroom door. A searing hot pain ripped through my leg, and when I looked down I could see the gash had reopened. It seemed to be infected which made sense considering all the dirt and grime that must have got into in. It should have been my top priority to take care of, once I knew I was safe. Well, hopefully after washing it, it'll heal properly without much trouble.

When I finally opened the bathroom door, I was stuck by the exquisite beauty of everything. It looked as if it were made with a queen in mind. Everything looked as if it was made of pure white marble, and the jeweled mosaic above the bath tub depicted a scene of some kind of beautiful exotic rose garden.

After the shock had worn off, I stripped out of my dirty, ripped clothes and sunk into the pre-prepared bath water. It felt like heaven on my muscles. Relaxing all the tension and stress, and easing the pain of all my cuts and bruises.

After a while of soaking, I turned my attention to the cut on my leg. After soaking it for a while it didn't look as terrible as it once did. The inflammation had gone down and any sign of the infection seemed to have disappeared. But just for good measure, I grabbed the soap located next to the tub, and thoroughly cleaned my wound.

I finished washing, and dried of with some very plush towels and dressed my wounds with a medic kit that seemed to have appeared on the counter top out of nowhere. I didn't question it as I wrapped a towel around myself and limped over to the wardrobe. Inside were a variety of dresses, pants, shirts, and shoes; all in my size and in the colors that I fancied. I got dressed in a simple outfit of a pink tee-shirt, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes, and made my way over to the alien control room.

The Doctor told me to go down the hall to the right. But after 10 minutes of walking right passing many doors of varies shapes, sizes, and colors, I had a feeling I was lost. I was about to turn back and retrace my steps, when I heard the Doctor call out my name. "Rose! Where did you go?" He sounded panic stricken.

"I'm here!" I responded as I fallowed the sound of his voice, back the way I came. As I turned the bend, I bumped into something soft, yet hard.

Just before I fell back, two hands grabbed my shoulders and steadied me. "Whoa there!" I looked up at the Doctor. I was right to think he sounded panicked because his eyes were laced with it. Relief washed over him as he gave me the once over glance. His eyes darted to his hands still on my shoulders and quickly let go, shoving them in his pockets. "Why were you wondering around the left wing?"

"I thought I was going right?" My eyes fell to the colorful oddly shaped doors. "By the way, what's behind those doors?"

The Doctor followed my line of sight and a dark look passed over his face. "Nothing of any real importance." As he turned back to me, whatever was bothering him seemed to disappear. "Any who, it seems the TARDIS has switched up the hallways again. It has a habit of doing that. I guess it gets bored."

"How is that possible and what's a Tardix?" I must of sounded stupid, because he gave me a look. It was a 'of course' kind of look, like I was supposed to already know. I guess I was supposed to.

Something must have clicked inside his head, because he said "The TARDIS is my ship and it's alive. It has too with all of time and space running through it. Without some sort of conciseness it would not be able to function as it does. It would rip itself apart during its travels, or worse, never get to the places where we want to go."

"Oh okay." I didn't know what else to say to that. I could hear a hum around us, like it was agreeing with the Doctor, or trying to comfort me. I don't know why those kind thoughts popped into my head, but at this point I don't see the point of trying to understand.

With that said he spun on his heel and began walking away. He stopped after a few feet and realizing I wasn't following him. He walked back to me, and stopped right in front of me. "You coming Rose Tyler?" he said my last name with a familiar pop. He took a hand out of his pocket and held it out for me tentatively. I couldn't help but smile as I placed my hand in his. Then he smiled. It set my stomach a flutter in ways that had never happened before, not even in the happy days with Mickey. We just stood there for a while, mapping out each other's faces. His seemed to be searching for something, some sort of familiarity. I don't know if he found what he was looking for because without another word he turned and started walking again. This time hand and hand with me. I don't know why, but as we were walking to the control room I got this strange feeling that if I stayed by this man's side, I could forget the nightmare of my past and find a bigger and brighter future.


End file.
